Playing with Fire
by SerenityMonkala
Summary: Two runaway firebender girls team up with the Avatar and his friends.
1. Chapter 1

"Come see the most talented musicians on Kangaroo Island!" A young, round-faced blonde woman, stood on the street corner, calling to the uninterested passersby. Her companion, a young brown-haired man, elbowed her sharply.

"Ow!" She pouted, crossing her arms. "Sago!"

"Best musicians on Kangaroo Island?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Uh… yeah…?" She stared at him. "What? What did I do?"

"More like best musicians in the entire world!" He elbowed her again, more gently this time. "Tut tut tut, Anna, you call yourself a fan."

"Yeah, Sago." She crossed her arms again. "Kangaroo Island was a part of the world, last time I checked. So if they're the best musicians in the-"

"Give it up, Flame-Brain. " Sago cut her off.

"LET ME FINISH! They're the best musicians in the world, and Kangaroo Island is part of the world, therefore, they are the best musicians in Kangaroo Island. So HA!"

"Beh. Whatever." Sago shrugged, smiling slightly.

"Stupid-face." She muttered.

"Fire girl." He whispered in her ear. She jerked away from him.

"Shut up!" She shouted. "You're gonna blow my cover! Don't call me Fire—"

He clapped his hand over her mouth.

"MMMMPH! MMMM MPHH!"

He let go.

"What was that for?"

"I was trying to keep you from blowing your own cover, Fire Girl."

She exhaled heavily. "You're such a—a— stupid dumbface!"

"And you're a firebender with a head full of hot air."

She glared at him. He smiled.

"So anyway, if you were really such a big fan, you'd be helping to promote this show instead of hurling petty, childish insults at me."

"Oh, hush. You were hurling insults too." She held up a flyer and turned back to the crowd. "The most talented musicians on Kanga— I mean, in the world will play their last ever show! Don't miss it! Se Chi, master of the pipa! Nu Tin on his amazing tsungi horn!" She turned to Sago. "No one seems too interested."

"That's because you're a terrible promoter."

"Well, what do you suggest I do different?"

"I dunno? Be more… promotional?"

"Oh, you're helpful." She replied. "I have an idea. Lift yourself up on an earth platform."

"That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Just do it."

"Fine." Sago raised the ground below him. Suddenly, everyone's eyes were on him. He looked at Anna. "Now what?"

She shrugged.

"Uh, attention, everyone! My name is Sago! I'm an up-and-coming pipa player from the western coast of Kangaroo Island, and I'd like to bring to your attention a show happening tonight, a show the likes of which most have you have never seen—or heard! Witness the greatest musicians on earth as they give their final performance!"

People begin to gather around him and Anna handed them flyers.

"It worked! As usual, my genius saved the day." Sago said.

"Your genius? The platform thing was my idea!"

"Pfft." Sago rolled his eyes. "Anyone can come up with an idea. But only a talented few can earthbend. Hey, isn't that your Flame-Brain buddy over there?" He pointed to a redhead across the street.

"Megi!" Anna squealed, running through the crowded street, bumping into many people. "Later, Sago!" She called over her shoulder, then rushed to give her friend a hug.

"There you are, man." Megi said. "I looked all over town for you."

"I'm sorry! I had to promote that show with Sago."

"I know. Cause he's your boyfriend and all."

"He's NOT my boyfriend! He's my… uh, I don't know, friend-guy-person-that's-like-a-boyfriend?"

"Okay. He's your non-boyfriend."

"Right." Anna nodded. "My non-boyfriend."

"You ready to go back home now?" Meggy asked.

Anna nodded. "I'm pretty much tired of my non-boyfriend at this point. But we have to come back here tonight to see the show."

"Alright." Megi said.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" Anna asked. "Like, do you really want to see the show, or are you just saying that, cause, I don't know, people are always saying weird things. Cause, I mean, I don't want you to go to the show if you don't want to go."

"Dude, it's fine."

"Are you positive?"

"Yes, I'm positive."

"Good. Just making sure. Let's go."

The two friends walked back down the street, towards the place they were staying.

"FINE!" Sago called. "Don't stay and help, then!"

"Okay! We won't!" Megi called back.

"Firebenders." He muttered, picking up a stack of flyers. "Come one, come all! Come see the most exquisite performance in all the world!"

Anna and Megi showed their tickets at the door and entered. The theater wasn't very crowded yet, but there were already people claiming the best seats."

"Let's look for Sago!" Anna said, then she paused. "I mean, if you want to. We don't have to look for him."

"It's fine." Megi assured her. "Isn't that your boyfriend right there?"

"I do not have a boyfriend. But yes, that is Sago, my non-boyfriend." Anna waved. "Hey, Sago! Over here!"

Sago turned to look at her, then turned away.

"SAGO! HELLO!"

He didn't even turn around that time.

"What? Megi, why is he ignoring me?"

"Because he's lame. Just forget him and enjoy the show— Anna?"

Anna ran off towards Sago and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Sago?"

"Hi." He said aloofly.

"Uh, what's up?"

"Nothin'."

"Why were you ignoring me?"

He looked at his feet, shifting uncomfortably back and forth. "It's nothing. I just… I just don't think we should be a… thing."

"A thing?" Anna narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, a… romantic thing?"

"Ah, I misread you, didn't I?" Anna banged her hand against her head several times. "I'm always doing that! I'm sorry, Sago, I thought—"

A hand appeared over Sago's shoulder, then a stocky, dark-haired earthbender girl appeared from behind him. "Who's this, baby?" She asked.

"She's no one, Toa." Sago looked at Anna, unreadable as usual.

"No one." She repeated quietly to herself, sparks shooting from her palms.

Toa gasped. "She's a—a—"

Small flames began to shoot from Anna's hands. She glared at the stocky girl. "A firebender?" She smiled humorlessly. "Yup, gold star for you, sweetie."

"That girl is bending fire!" An audience member shouted. "Someone stop her! Get the police!"

"ANNA, RUN!" Megi shouted.

"But the show!" Anna cried. "I'm going to miss the show!"

"WHO CARES, MAN! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

With one last glance over her shoulder, Anna began to dash for the door while Megi set the floor behind them on fire. They ran out the exit and into the street, and didn't stop running until they reached the forest.

"Megi…" Anna gasped for breath. "I'm so… so sorry… didn't mean to…"

"I know, Anna." Megi said. "It's okay."

"No, it's not." Anna sat down, burying her face in her lap. "I knew my lack of control would get me killed one day, but I didn't know my best friend would die with me!"

"But we're not dead…"

"We might as well be!" Anna flopped onto her back dramatically. "We're gonna be Kangaroo Island's most wanted! They'll put us in jail! You know what they do to firebenders in jail, Megi?"

"Uh, no?"

"They tie us up and SUCK OUT OUR BENDING! AND THEN THEY KILL US! WE'RE GONNA DIE!"

"Calm down, man. Suck out our bending? How would they even do that?"

"Uh, I don't know. They just… would…" Anna sat back up.

"Plus, we bend fire, the most powerful of the elements. How could they capture us?"

"They couldn't. I'm sorry, I'm being ridiculous. I think I need some sleep."

"Me too. Let's find a place to set up camp."

"Though I don't know how I'll be able to sleep when WE'RE GONNA DIE—sorry."

"It's alright. Here, I found a soft sandy place under this tree."

"Okay. Wait!" Anna paused, thinking. "Sago-the-stupid-idiot said you should never camp under a tree on Kangaroo Island."

"Why not?"

"Um… hm, I forget." She shrugged. "Whatever, let's sleep here anyway. Knowing Sago, it was probably a lie. Goodnight, Megi."

"'Night."

There was a minute of silence and then…

"Megi?"

"Huh? Yeah?"

"If we die, I love you and you're my best friend."

"You're my best friend too, Anna. Now, good night."


	2. Chapter 2

"We're gonna die, die, die, die, die!" Anna sang gleefully as her and Megi tramped through the dry, sparse forest. "We're gonna die, die, die, die, die!"

Megi laughed. "That's a great song, Anna-man."

"Thanks, I know!" Anna did a clumsy spin around a tree. "When we get someplace safe, I'm putting it to the pipa."

"What pipa?" Megi asked.

Anna shrugged. "I don't know. I'll find one. Or make one out of one of these trees." She hit a tree with her fist. "Ow! Forget it. These things are too hard. What did they make these trees out of, metal?"

"You could sneak back and get your pipa." Megi suggested.

"I wish." Anna sighed. "But I'm about as subtle as a platypus bear riding a flying bison."

"That's true, man."

"Ugh! Those stupid earthbenders make me so mad!" Anna punched another tree. "Ow! Why do I keep doing that!"

Megi shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you should stop."

Anna nodded. "Good plan. I just can't help it! It's so UGH! We shouldn't have to hide our identities like this!"

"But if we hadn't they would have put us in jail and potentially sucked out our bending."

"But WHY?" Anna clenched her fists. "Do these rockbrains not realize that the war is OVER? We're just trying to live our lives, so they shouldn't be making it SO FREAKING DIFFICULT!"

"They shouldn't!" Megi agreed, hitting a tree. "Ow. I can see why you keep doing that. It's strangely satisfying."

"I don't get it!" Anna continued. "We can't go back to the Fire Nation yet, but out here, just because we're firebenders, everyone hates us. It's not like we ASKED to be firebenders. It's not like the magical bending fairy appeared to us before we were born and said—" She waved her arms "Wooooo! I'm the bending fairy! What element do you want to bend? Woooooooo!"

Megi laughed at her friend's depiction of a bending fairy. "I would have picked fire. And bending fairies say 'woo'?"

"Me too." Anna agreed. "But still. And I made them up. They can say whatever I want them to say."

Megi nodded. "That makes sense."

"Not really." Said Anna. "But I'll take it."

The tree above them rustled without warning, causing Anna to squeal and jump back and Megi to raise her hands, ready to shoot fire at whatever was there.

"This is it!" Anna threw her arms around Megi. "They've found us! We're gonna DIE!"

Megi tried to reposition herself so that she could firebend without burning her friend. "Chill, man." The branches parted to reveal the face of a cute animal with a face similar to that of a koalaotter. "See? It's just a cute little—"

The animal parted its jaws to reveal razor sharp teeth and leapt at the girls, landing on Anna's head.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" They both screamed.

Megi begin to try prying the animal off of Anna's face, but neither Anna, nor the animal, was making this easy. The animal clung as if for dear life while Anna's palms began shooting sparks.

"Anna-man! Chill! You're firebending!" Megi tried unsuccessfully to calm her friend down. The sparks became little flames.

Then a strange thing happened. The creature let go of Anna's face and dropped to the ground. It hopped to its feet and looked up at the two girls, seemingly mesmerized.

After recovering, Anna looked down at the creature. "Hey! I know what that is! Stupid-Sago told me about them!"

"Really? What is it?"

"Well, I thought they were just a myth that the Kangaroo Islanders invented to scare outsiders. But it looks like a… saber-tooth koalaby."

Megi looked down at the animal. It had the head of a koalaotter (aside from the teeth), but the body and tail of a little kangaroo. "It's pretty cute. Hey there, little buddy. Why'd you attack my friend?"

"Yes!" Anna exclaimed. "That's why Sago told me never to camp under a tree! Koalabies live in trees around here, and when they see a person below, they drop and cling to their face. They're very territorial."

"I can see that. I wonder why he stopped."

"Well Sago didn't tell me this part, presumably because he wanted me to be terrified, but I talked to an old man in the market who said that fire had an extremely calming effect on these guys. And that they adore firebenders." Anna shrugged. "This part of the story is only scary to earth pansies who think the Fire Nation is still out to get them."

"That's dumb."

"I know, right. I mean, come on, we did probably burn down a theater, but only because those people had to be such jerks!"

"Exactly, man. Let's go." Megi patted the head of the koalaby somewhat tentatively. It made a purring sound. "Bye, little buddy. Thanks for not killing us."

They started to leave. The koalaby hopped behind him.

"Aw!" Anna cooed. "He's following us!" She leaned down and called the koalaby over. "Fang! Come here, baby!" The koalaby hopped towards her.

"Fang? Nice name for it."

"Thanks. Can we keep her? She can be like, out super sassy animal sidekick. Fang, Megi and Anna, ready to take on the world!" Anna hugged Fang, seeming to forget that just a few minutes ago, the animal had been latched on to her face.

"Totes, man." Meggy nodded. "But how do you know it's a she?"

"Only the females attack. But we can check if you want. You insert a finger—"

"Uhh, thanks, but I think I'll pass."

"Good plan." Anna patted her shoulder. "Come on, Fang!" Fang hopped on. "This is so cool! If Fang were a reptile bird, I would totally feel like a pirate! ARR! Don't worry, Megi, you can carry her next."

The two girls walked aimlessly for a while, talking a bit about everything but where they were going and what exactly they were going to do. Their in-depth conversation about singing groundhogs was interrupted by the sound of someone screaming.

Anna and Megi rushed to the place where the sound was coming from to find a teenage boy cornered by a large platypus bear.

"Hey, man, don't worry, we'll help you!" Megi said.

"Um, don't worry!" The boy said, dodging the platypus bear's claw and whacking it with a boomerang. "I got this! AHHHHHHH!"

Megi and Anna both held out their hands. Megi shot a hearty and perfectly aimed blast of fire at the platypus bear while Anna shot out a few puffs of flame, only a few of which hit the animal. It was enough, however, to send the platypus bear running off into the woods.

"It's okay." Anna assured the boy. "You're safe now."

"YOU'RE FIREBENDERS!" He pointed at them.

Megi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, man, we know that."

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" He hurled his boomerang at them. Megi was able to dodge it, but it hit Anna's shoulder.

"OW!" She clutched her shoulder. "That's how you thank us for saving you from the savage beast? I see how it is then! OW! OW!"

"Dude, don't throw things at my friend!" Megi aimed a warning blast of fire near him.

"Ugh!" Anna clenched her fists. "People like you make me SO mad! The war is OVER, smart one! But no, we save you, and you throw a stupid boomerang at us because we can make fire happen! That doesn't even make sense! I know your type, kid! Let me guess, you think that because we're Fire Nation, we're violent, crazy, war freaks, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"URRGH!" Sparks shot from Anna's palms. "You don't know anything about us! You don't know who we are! You don't know why we had to leave the Fire Nation! I, for one, wish that stupid Fire Lord had never tried to start that stupid war because it ruined us! Now we're hated everywhere we go, and stupid, judgmental little dumb-faces like you think we're out to kill the world!"

"Dude, calm down…" Megi said. "You're sparking."

The boy looked nervous. "Uh, yeah, I'm with her. Calm down…"

"NO! I'll calm down after I say this ONE MORE THING!" She pointed at the boy. "I've got some news for you, cupcake! We've got a new Fire Lord now! And I've got all the faith in the world that Fire Lord Zuko's gonna build us up way better than before! We're going to be great again, kid! You mark my words, jerk!" Anna smiled, suddenly chipper. "Okay! I'm ready to be calm again!"

The boy took a step back, freaked out.

"She's not good with first impressions." Megi explained.

"Especially with boys." Anna added. "I tend to scare most of them off."

"I wonder why." The boy took another step back.

"But don't be. Cause I promise, I'm actually Miss Sweetie Sweet. I just don't look it. So that's why you shouldn't tell the police that you saw us!"

"Riiiiight." The boy backed away.

"Okay, Megi, I'm failing, you handle this."

"Alright." The pretty redhead batted her golden eyes. "Sorry about my friend. What's your name, handsome?"

"Uhhh…" The boy blushed. "Sokka… and I'm sort of in a relationship…"

"So? Kuai Ball's got a net. Don't mean you can't score!" Anna said. Sokka looked weirded out again. "Ah, sorry. I meant Megi scoring, not me! Cause you probably wouldn't want me scoring in your net, you know. Why did I just say that?"

Sokka blushed again. "Well, um, uh… uh…"

Anna laughed. "Wow, I've scared this poor guy bad. Sorry, kid."

"Um, it's… okay? I'm just… really confused… and weirded out… slightly flattered, but uh…"

"It's okay." Anna patted him on the shoulder. "Sorry, that shoulder pat was not intended as a come-on."

"Okay?"

"Because I would never hit on you!" Anna stopped, realizing what she had just said. "Wait, no, it's not that you're not attractive, it's that I realize that you don't find me attractive and I'm able to respect that fact…"

"Uh… well, I mean, actually, you are attractive, but…"

Megi graciously stepped in. "Let me handle this, Anna."

"Right, sorry."

Megi smiled at him. "I'm Megi, and this is my friend Anna, and this is our mascot, Fang." Fang growled.

Anna butted in. "And you shouldn't tell the police about us because we saved your life, and we're quite physically attractive! …Sorry, Megi."

The trees rustled again and Anna jumped back, expecting another platypus bear to burst out. Instead, it was a young boy with an arrow tattooed on his head.

"Hey, Sokka! What's going on? Who are your friends?"

"Sokka!" Anna exclaimed. "I knew your name was familiar! You're Sokka, the Avatar's friend!"


	3. Chapter 3

The Fire Nation was becoming restless.

Although many people in the Fire Nation had grown tired of being hated by the rest of the world, there were also a great many who believed that Fire Lord Zuko's quest for peace would leave the nation empty handed.

The pressure was building, and the nation's expectations for the Fire Lord had never been higher. The country had been defeated for the first time in over a century, and the once proud citizens were now ashamed of where they came from. Fire Lord Zuko had seemed to many to be the only hope of the Fire Nation.

"They don't understand," Zuko pounded his fist on the table, rattling the teacups. "It takes more than a few months to rebuild an entire nation!"

Iroh put a hand on his teacup to keep it from spilling. "Relax, Zuko." He poured his nephew more tea. "Have some hot tea. It's jasmine."

"NO!" Zuko slammed his first onto the table again.

"Zuko. You don't need to be so tense. I haven't seen you this stressed since you were off trying to capture the Avatar."

"What do you mean, I don't need to be tense?" Zuko snapped. "I have every reason to be stressed out, uncle! The whole nation is depending on me and I don't know if I can do this! How are we supposed to be a peaceful people when the whole world hates us?" He paused. "I… I don't know if I can take this."

"What do you mean, Zuko?"

"When I met with the chiefs of the water tribes, the way they looked at me, like I was some kind of… monster… even Hakoda wouldn't look me in the eyes."

"I know what you mean." Said a newcomer.

Iroh and Zuko turned towards the monotonous voice. Mai had come in to join them.

"Just because I'm from the Fire Nation, people look at me and see a power hungry war freak." She added as she sat down beside Zuko.

"You don't get it, Mai." Zuko looked down into his teacup. "It's different when you're the Fire Lord. I'm the face of the Fire Nation. If anything goes wrong, I'm the one to blame."

"Well, excuse me." She said flatly. "You've been nothing but emotional lately. What's gotten into you?"

"I told you, Mai. I'm the Fire Lord, so excuse me if I'm a LITTLE bit tense. I mean, you know, because the fate of our entire nation depends on what I decide to do. I'm sorry I can't be as cold and blank as you are."

"Well, I'm sorry." She said dully, not sounding very sorry. "Whatever. I'm leaving."

She got up, leaving Zuko fuming. "What is wrong with that girl?" He sighed, took a sip of his tea, then continued. "When everything is going smoothly, it's like I'm the best man she could ever have. But when things get hard for me…" He trailed off.

"She's not prepared to deal with your stress, nephew. You release tension with your anger, but she doesn't know how to deal with the strong emotions of others."

"Yeah, because she's so cold and heartless herself. It's an old cliché, but maybe… maybe if she can't handle me at my worst, she shouldn't have me at my best…"

"Maybe." Iroh sipped his tea. "But maybe you need something to get your mind off of all your stress."

"Yeah, and what could possibly do that?" Zuko said sarcastically.

"Why don't you invite some friends over?"

"Friends." Zuko scoffed. "I don't have any friends in the Fire Nation."

"Not in the Fire Nation, perhaps. But you do have friends, Zuko."

"You mean… the Avatar and his friends?" Zuko thought about it. "Well, yeah… I guess I have friends. And… and being seen with the Avatar would be good for my image." Zuko began to get more enthusiastic about the idea. "It would show people that I was trying to keep peace. It would be seen as a gesture of good will. Maybe you're right. Maybe this is just what I need."

"Again, what you say may be true. But do not live to please others. You made that mistake once, and you lost your way. But never doubt, Zuko, that you are a worthy Fire Lord. You are an honorable young man with a pure heart, just the one to rebuild this world. If you do not doubt yourself, you will not fail."


End file.
